Easy-open container closure



Feb. 20 1968 J. D. DODGE 3,369,689-

EASY-OPEN CONTAINER CLOSURE Filed Sept. 11; 1964 P I NVENTOR. JQ/Y/V 0.5mm 00065 BY Maw ATTOP/VfY- United States Patent 6 3,369,689 EASY-OPEN CONTAINER CLOSURE John Dennis Dodge, Arlington Heights, 111., assignor to American Can Company, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New Jersey Filed Sept. 11, 1964, Ser. No. 395,829 13 Claims. (Cl. 215-39) The present invention relates generally to a closure for a container for hermetically sealing food or other type products and more particularly to an easily removable end closure which is adapted to be used as a reclosure after the initial opening of the container.

An object of the present invention is to provide a manually openable closure for a container for hermetically sealed food or other type products which are maintained under vacuum.

Another object is to provide a container which may be easily opened without the use of an opening tool and which may be readily reclosed after the initial opening thereof to preserve the product remaining in the container.

A further object is to provide a container end closure having a tape opening feature, which may be easily gripped by the consumer for opening the container and removal of the closure from the container body.

A still further object is the provision of a container for products maintained under vacuum therein which comprises an end closure that is adapted to indicate visually and audibly the presence of and the breaking of, respectively, the vacuum within the container, so that the consumer canbe assured of the hermetic sealing of the food product within the container.

Numerous other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent as it is better understood from the following description, which, taken in connection with the accom anying drawing, discloses a preferred embodiment thereof.

The above objects are accomplished by providing a manually removable end closure for a container of the type having a dispensing mouth and an annular bead surrounding the dispensing mouth. The end closure comprises a central panel having an aperture therein. Extending upwardly from the periphery of the central panel is a countersink wall. Both the central panel and the countersink wall are adapted to be received within the container mouth. Merging with the countersink wall is an annular skirt, which, together with the countersink wall forms a U-shaped channel adapted to extend over the container head when the end closure is positioned on the container. Within the U-shaped channel is disposed a sealing gasket adapted to be compressed between the channel and the container bead.

A length of tape, having a variable width, is bonded to the outer surface of the central panel around the aperture in the panel. The tape has a greater width at a point remote from the aperture than at the aperture, so that the tape may be peeled from the end opposite that end having the greater width in order to open the aperture. Thus the tape will not peel at the greater width permitting the tape to be utilized as a handle to remove the closure from the container.

Referring to the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of an end closure constructed according to the principles of the instant invention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially along the line 22 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged partial sectional view showing the end closure enclosing a container when a product is maintained under vacuum within the container;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged partial sectional view showing the end closure prior to removal from the container after the vacuum within the container has been broken; and

FIGURE 5 is a plan view similar to FIGURE 1, showing a modified form of the end closure.

As a preferred or exemplary embodiment of the instant invention, FIGURES 1 and 2 illustrate an end closure, generally designated 10, formed of a relatively easily deformable material such as aluminum or lightweight tin plate. The end closure 10 comprises a relatively flat central panel 12 having a raised button 14 therein for a purpose to be described hereinafter. The central panel 12 merges at its outer edge with a generally outwardly and upwardly extending countersink wall 16 which in turn merges at its upper end with an outwardly and downwardly extending annular skirt 18. If desired the skirt 18 may terminate in a hemmed portion rather than a free edge 20.

The countersink wall 16 and the skirt 18 form a U- shaped channel 22 within which is disposed a sealing gasket 24. The sealing gasket 24 is preferably formed of a suitable compressible elastomeric material such as a plastisol or a foamed plastisol.

Within the central panel 12 is an aperture 25 which serves as a relief valve in a manner which will be described more fully hereinafter.

Bonded to the central panel 12 and closing and sealing the aperture 25 is a length of flexible tape 28. The tape 28 may be made of any suitably strong flexible material. Preferably, however, a thin aluminum foil is used. It has been found that a 2 mil 3003 aluminum alloy with a hard temper is adequate.

The aluminum tape is preferably bonded to the end closure 10 by means of an adhesive 29 such as LDSSO, which is the commercial designation for a polyurethane adhesive manufactured by the Du P-ont Company. However, any ad-hesive that exhibits a strong shear strength, but is easily peelable, may be used, if it is able to withstand hot humid canning processing conditions.

One end 30 of the tape 28 is not bonded to the panel 12 so that it may be easily gripped. That portion 3-2 of the tape 28 that is adjacent to the aperture 25 is narrow, so that peeling may be easily controlled. The tape end 34 has a width great enough to prevent easy peeling of the tape 28.

FIG. 3 illustrates a container for hermetically sealing a food or other product P therein. The container 40 comprises a container body 42, preferably formed of glass or a similar material, and has the end closure 10 sealing engaging the container body 42.

The container body 42 comprises a generally vertically extending upper wall 46. The upper wall comprises an annular bead 48 having a curved outer face 50 and terminating in a curved face 52.

The lower part of the skirt 18 is formed under the container body head 48 thus tightly compressing the sealing gasket 24 between the annular bead 48 and the U-shaped channel 22 to hermetically seal the food product P within the container 40.

When the product P is maintained under vacuum within the container body 42 (FIGURE 3), atmospheric pressure on the outer surface of the end closure 10 Will deform the central panel 12 and the button .14 formed therein into depressed, downwardly curved positions, so that the consumer can readily determine the presence of vacuum within the container 40 by the depressed condition of the button 14.

When opening the container 40, the end 30 of the tape 28 is lifted and peeled from the button 14 and panel 12 until the aperture 25 is opened, thus breaking the vacuum within the container (FIGURE 4). The pressure on both sides of the button 14 is equalized and, owing to the resilience 0f the button 14, it snaps upwardly to the position shown in'FIGURE 4. This snapping of the button 14 from its depressed position shown in FIGURE 3 to its normal position shown in FIGURE 4 creates an audible sound as the vacuum is broken within the container 46 to additionally indicate to the consumer that vacuum was present in the container 40 prior to the opening of the aperture 25. Thus the consumer is assured that the product P within the container 40 was hemetically sealed.

Further peeling of the tape 28 is prevented by the widened tape end 34. This is due to the fact that the greater area of the tape at the end 34 requires a much greater force for peeling than the rest of the tape and the closure 10 will be released from the container 40 before the tape end 34 will be separated from the panel 12. With the tape 28 thus firmly bonded to the panel 12, the tape 28 serves as a handle to free the skirt 18 from engagement with the bead 48 as the tape 28 is pulled upwardly. This results in removal of the closure 10 from the container 40. To replace the closure 10 on the container 40 the closure 10 is merely replaced on the container 40 and forced downwardly until the skirt 18 snaps onto and engages the bead 48.

FIGURE 5 illustrates a modified end closure 60 having a relatively flat central panel 62 with a raised button 64 therein and a U-shaped channel 65, similar to that shown in FIGURE 1.

An aperture 67 is located within the button 64 and is covered with a tape 68, similar to the tape 28 shown in FIGURE 1. The bonding of the tape 68 to the closure 60 is similar to that shown in FIGURE 1, except that the bonded tape end 70, which is not easily peeled from the end closure 60, is bonded to the button 64 rather than in a position closer to the periphery of the closure 60 as is the case in FIGURE 1.

The cooperation of the end closure 60 with a container and its removal therefrom is similar to that as hereinbefore described.

It is thought that the invention and may of its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the form hereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

What is claimed is:

1. A manually removable end closure for a container of the type having a dispensing mouth and an annular bead surrounding the dispensing mouth, comprising:

a central panel having an aperture therein;

a countersink wall extending upwardly from the periphery of said central panel;

said central panel and said countersink wall being adapted to be received within the container mouth;

a U-shaped channel merging with the periphery of said countersink wall;

an annular skirt forming the outer edge of said U- shaped channel and adapted to extend over the container bead when said end closure is so positioned on said container;

a sealing gasket disposed within said U-shaped channel and adapted to be compressed between said channel and the container head;

a length of tape, having a variable width, bonded to the outer surafce of said central panel and around said aperture in said central panel;

and said tape having a greater width at a point remote from said aperture than at said aperture; and the remainder of said tape having a width less than said greater width at said remote point and thus also having less peel resistance than said greater width so that said tape may be peeled from the end opposite said end having said greater width to open said aperture, but will not peel at said greater width prior to removal of said end closure from said container,

so that said tape may be utilized as a handle to remove said closure from said container.

2. The end closure of claim 1 wherein said aperture lies between said countersink Wall and a raised button in the central portion of said central panel.

3. The end closure of claim 1 wherein said tape is an aluminum foil that is adhesively bonded to the outer surface of said central panel.

4. The end closure of claim 1 wherein the greater width of said tape, which will not be easily peeled, is positioned adjacent said countersink wall.

5. The end closure of claim 1 wherein the end of said tape which lies adjacent the central portion of said central panel is free of said central panel.

6. A manually openable container, comprising:

a container body having a dispensing mouth and an annular bead surrounding said dispensing mouth; an end closure adapted to hermetically seal said container body; and

said end closure having a central panel with an aperture therein, a countersink wall extending upwardly from the periphery of said central panel, said central panel and said countersink wall being adapted to be received within said container mouth, a U-shaped channel merging with the periphery of said container wall, an annular skirt forming the outer edge of said U-shaped channel and extending over said annular container bead, a sealing gasket disposed within said U-shaped channel and extending over said annular channel and said container bead, a length of tape, having a variable width, bonded to the outer surface of said central panel and around said aperture in said central panel, and said tape having a greater width at a point remote from said aperture than at said aperture thus having greater peel strength at said remote point so that said tape can be peeled from the end opposite said end having said greater width to open said aperture but said tape will not peel at said greater width so that said tape may be utilized as a handle to remove said closure from said container.

7. The container of claim 6 wherein said container body is formed of glass and said end closure is formed of an easily deformable metal.

8. An easily removable end closure for a container of the type having a dispensing mouth and an annular bead surrounding the dispensing mouth, comprising:

a central panel having an aperture therein;

a substantially U-shaped channel merging with the periphery of said central panel;

an annular skirt forming the outer edge of said U- shaped channel and adapted to extend over the container head when said end closure is positioned on said container;

sealing means disposed within said Ushaped channel and adapted to be compressed between said channel and the container head;

a length of variable width tape bonded to the outer surface of said central panel and sealing said aperture; and

means for securing one end of said tape having greatest width to said end closure while the remainder of said tape remote from said secured end may be peeled from said closure for opening said aperture and to provide a tape handle for removal of said closure from said container.

9. A manually removable end closure for a container of the type having a dispensing mouth and an annular bead surrounding the dispensing mouth, comprising:

a central panel with a raised button centrally located,

said button having an aperture therein;

a countersink wall extending upwardly from the periphery of said central panel;

said central panel and said countersink wall being adapted to be received within the container mouth;

a U-shaped channel merging with the periphery of said' countersink wall;

an annular skirt forming the outer edge of said U- shaped channel and adapted to extend over the container head when said end closure is positioned on said container;

an elastomeric sealing gasket disposed within said U- shaped channel and adapted to be compressed between said channel and the container bead; a length of variable width tape bonded to the outer surface of said raised button and sealing said aperture;

means for securing one end of said tape having greatest width to said raised button so that the remainder of said tape remote from said secured end may be peeled from the surface of said button to open said aperture and thus provide a handle for removal of said closure from said container.

10. The closure of claim 9 wherein said tape is a flexible metal foil which is adhesively bonded to the outer surface of said button.

11. An easily removable end closure for a container of the type having a dispensing mouth and an annular bead surrounding the dispensing mouth, comprising:

a central panel having an aperture therein;

a substantially U-shaped channel merging with the periphery of said central panel;

an annular skirt forming the outer edge of said U- shaped and adapted to extend over the container bead when said end closure is positioned on said container;

sealing means disposed within said U-shaped channel and adapted to be compressed between said channel and the container bead;

a length of variable width tape bonded to the outer surface of said central panel and sealing said aperture; and means for securing one end of said tape having greatest width to said end closure while the remainder of said tape may be peeled from said closure for opening said aperture and to provide a tape handle for removal of said closure from said container.

12. An improved closure for open mouth containers which are vacuum packed and hermetically sealed and which may be readily reclosed and reopened once the vacuum is broken, comprising:

a circular top panel projectable within a mouth-defining neck portion of a container;

an annular gasket-receiving channel inclined outwardly and upwardly from the outer margin of the said top panel for receiving said mouth-defining neck portion of such container;

means for gripping an outer finish of said neck portion;

an annular sealing gasket positioned within said annular gasket-receiving channel;

an aperture penetrating the top panel of said closure;

a partially removable tab permanently secured to the upper surface of said closure adjacent the perimeter thereof and extending inwardly to cover said aperture and prevent loss of vacuum until such time as said tab is partially removed;

and said tab being permanently fixed at its outer extremity adjacent the perimeter with a high peel strength and semi-permanently affixed inwardly thereof with a low peel strength.

13. In an easily removable end closure, having an aperturetherein, for a container under vacuum of the type having a dispensing mouth defined by a vertically extending upper wall, the improvement comprising:

sealing means adapted to be compressed between said vertically extending upper wall and an annular portion of said closure;

a partially removable tape bonded to the outer surface of said closure and sealing said aperture;

means for firmly securing one end of said tape, having a high peel strength, to said closure;

and means for semi-permanently securing the remainder of said tape having low peel strength to said end closure so that it may be peeled from said closure for opening said aperture and to provide a tape handle for removal of said closure from said container.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,492,883 12/ 1949 ONeil 220-44 2,870,935 1/ 1959 Houghtelling 220-53 3,130,056 4/1964 Taylor 215-40 X 3,152,711 10/1964 Mumford 215-38 FOREIGN PATENTS 843,804 7/ 1952 Germany.

DONALD F. NORTON, Primary Examiner.

JOSEPH LECLAIR, Examiner. 

6. A MANUALLY OPENABLE CONTAINER, COMPRISING: A CONTAINER BODY HAVING A DISPENSING MOUTH AND AN ANNULAR BEAD SURROUNDING SAID DISPENSING MOUTH; AN END CLOSURE ADAPTED TO HERMETICALLY SEAL SAID CONTAINER BODY; AND SAID END CLOSURE HAVING A CENTRAL PANEL WITH AN APERTURE THEREIN, A COUNTER SINK WALL EXTENDING UPWARDLY FROM THE PERIPHERY OF SAID CENTRAL PANEL, SAID CENTRAL PANEL AND SAID COUNTERSINK WALL BEING ADAPTED TO BE RECEIVED WITHIN SAID CONTAINER MOUTH, A U-SHAPED CHANNEL MERGING WITH THE PERIPHERY OF SAID CONTAINER WALL, AN ANNULAR SKIRT FORMING THE OUTER EDGE OF SAID U-SHAPED CHANNEL AND EXTENDING OVER SAID ANNULAR CONTAINER BEAD, A SEALING GASKET DISPOSED WITHIN SAID U-SHAPED CHANNEL AND EXTENDING OVER SAID ANNULAR CHANNEL AND SAID CONTAINER BEAD, A LENGTH OF TAPE, HAVING A VARIABLE WIDTH, BONDED TO THE OUTER SURFACE OF SAID CENTRAL PANEL AND AROUND SAID APERTURE IN SAID CENTRAL PANEL, AND SAID TAPE HAVING GREATER WIDTH AT A POINT REMOTE FROM SAID APERTURE THAT AT SAID APERTURE THUS HAVING GREATER PEEL STRENGTH AT SAID REMOTE POINT SO THAT SAID END HAVING SAID GREATER FROM THE END OPPOSITE SAID END HAVING SAID TAPE WILL NOT WIDTH TO OPEN SAID APERTURE BUT SAID TAPE WILL NOT PEEL AT SAID GREATER WIDTH SO THAT SAID TAPE MAY BE UTILIZED AS A HANDLE TO REMOVE SAID CLOSURE FROM SAID CONTAINER. 